Photographic-plate holder



Ac E. HuTcHlNGs. PHQTOGRAPHIC PLATE HOL'DER. APPUCTION FILED SEPT. fl.1919.

Patented May 31,1921.

EHidzgf INVENTOR,

@www I l ATTORNEYS.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES E. HUTCHINGS, or ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, AssreNoR To EAs'rMAN KODAKCOMPANY, OE ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OE NEW YORK.

. EHOTOGRAPHIo-PLA'EE' HOLDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 31, 1921.

Application led September 11, 1919.- Serial N0. 323,184.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES E. HUTCH- INGs, citizen of the United Statesof America, residing at Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State ofNew York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inPhotographic-Plate Hol-ders, of which the following is a full, clear,and eX- act specification.

The present invention relates to photography and more particularly tOphotographic plate holders and has for its object to provide a simpleand compact device which is made of few parts which may be readilyassembled by unskilled labor; a further Object is to provide a plateholder which is easily loaded and unloaded in the dark; and a stillfurther object is to provide a locking means for holding thephotographic plates in position in the holder which will be on theoutside of the holder in an accessible position and yet preserving thesmooth outside contour of the plate holder. The invention consists ofcertain improvements and combinations of parts, all as will behereinafter more fully described, the novel features being pointed outin the claims at the end of the specication'.

In the drawings, in which like reference numerals designate like parts:l

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a plate holder constructed inaccordance with and illustrating one embodiment of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation showing the latches freed from 'theircatches, the bottom being open. l

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary part of the plate holder 'showing theV bottomopen in front elevation.

Fig. 5 is a detail of the bottom of the plate holderA side, illustratingthe spring latch seat.

Fig. 6 is a Section on line 6-6, Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a section on line 7-7, Fig. 3.

Fig. 8 is a section on line 8-8, Fig. 1.

The plate holder'of my present invention is designed to be made of wood,although a metal holder might be made embodying the same ideas. In thepresent instance the plate holder consists of a frame having sides 1 and2, a top 3, andbottom 4, dark slides 5 being slid in place by handles 7'so as to lversely of the latches 10.

cover the plates 6 in a manner well known to the art. Latches 8 hold thedark slides in place. lVhen I refer to plates in this specilication Idonot limit myself to glass plates coated with a photographic emulsion,lfor myholder is also well suited for use as a sheathfor holdingV cutfilms, so that the term plate is herein usedto ldesignate a base uponwhich the light. sensitive photographic emulsion is coated.

The bottom 4 is normally pressed by springs 9 away from the frame, therebeing springlingers 10,apertured at 11 to form a latch over pins 12 inthe sides 1 and 2. The sides are recessed at 13 forming seats for thespring latches 10, and'have hollowed out portions. 14 at the sides ofthe recess which take the broadened heads 15 of the latches l10', sothat anoperator may conveniently grasp the ends 15 to draw out thelatches until the apertures 11 are beyond the end of pins 12, therebyunlocking the bottom or door 4 so that it will spring out to theposition shown in Figs. 3 and 4. 'When in this open position the plates6 may be easily removed or loaded by removing or drawing out the darkslides 5.

' In order to limit the outward movement of the bottom 4, pins 16 onlatches 10 travel in slots 17 in the sides 1` and 2. The'latches y10 arefastened'to the bottom 4 by screws 18 and the pins'lare preferablyprovi-ded with long narrow heads 19'arranged trans- Ihis makes a quickand easily assembled construction. As

Vshown in Fig. 5 the latches 10 are placed so the heads 19 pass throughslots 17 in plates l20 fastenedby screws 21 to the sides 1 and 2.

By rotating latches 10 until the vbent portions 22 rest ony and can befastened to the bottom 4 the heads 19 of pins v16 are secured againstdisplacement in slots 17. In this way the spring fingers perform thedouble function of latches and connections between 4'the sidesl and 2Vand the bottom 4.

To 'formi tracks to Vguide the bottom 4 sliding between-open and closedpositions I provide small metal plates or anges 23 fastened to the sides1V and 2 with pins 24. Slots 25 in the4 end piece 4 slide about these toforming guides these plates 23 render the joints between the sides l and2 and the bottom 4light tight so that the sensitized plates cannot befogged and spoiled. There is also a third function which these tracks 23perform, that of lifting the downward movement of dark slides 5 in slots26. This is not so necessary in the type of slide illustrated in thedrawings for the handle 7 may limit the -downard movement, but it isuseful in slides which do not have handles, such as are well known inthe art.

The springs 9 are seated in apertures 27r in the bottom 4, and pressagainst a cross bar 28 fastened into the sides l and 2. The bottom 4also has sides 29 slotted at 25 for engaging tracks 23 and across thetops 30 to form slots into which the dark slides 5 lit forming lighttight joints. These sides 29 slide on opposite sides of cross bar 28, asbest shown in Fig. 8.

The plates 6 are held in place at the top by grooves 31 in the top ofthe plate holder (shown in dotted lines Fig. l) such as is well known inplate holders of this type, and at the bottom by the sides 29 which,when in closed position, form flanges for holding the plates againstoutward movement (Fig. 8).

The operation of loading is as follows:

Assuming the slides are removed and the bottom 4 released into openposition, the frame is held with one hand, a plate is laid in one sideand the dark slide inserted and slid in until all but an inch of theplate is covered. A plate is placed in the other side in the samemanner, then holding the dark slides 5 so as to push inwardly slightlyupon the plates, the bottom 4 is pushed up until the latches catch onpins 12, then the dark slides 5 are moved in to their limit and theretaining pins 8 turned to hold the handles V7 in place.A While this isthe preferred method of loading, the steps may be altered to -`suit theindividual operator. The holder will load more smoothly when the platesare slightly pressed toward the center, for the edges of the sides 29can more easily slide past the ends of the plates when held asdescribed, and too the dark slides may be slid directly into grooves 30of the sides 29 of bottom 4 when the bottom is in closed position. v

A plate holder' built in accordance with my invention is very simple tooperate and build and is adapted for use by the professional vor amateurphotographer.

That I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. In a plate holder the combination with a frame for holdingphotographically sensitive material, dark slides insertible into theframe to protect the sensitive material from light, of a .springactuated door attached. to thcV frame, the door being movable into anopen and a closed position, and latches for holding the doorV againstthe spring pressure.

2. In a plate holder the combination with a frame for holdingphotographic plates, dark slides forV protecting the plates of aslidable door in the end of the frame movable into an open and closedposition for placing and removing the plates in the frame, latches forholding the door closed, the latches also forming the connection betweenthe door and the frame in all positions.

3. In a plate holder the combination with a. frame for holdingphotographic plates, dark slides normally covering the plates, of aslidable bottom door, latches to hold the "door to the frame, thelatches limiting the sliding movement of the door.

4. In a plate holder the combination with a frame adapted to holdplates, the frame being slotted and having an opening at one end, saidopening adapted to be closed by a slidable door, of latches for holdingthe door to the frame, the latches being provided with pins, saidlatches limiting the sliding movement of the door relative to the frameby means of the pins cooperating with the slots.

5. In a plate holder the combination of a frame adapted to hold plates,the frame being .slotted and having an opening at one end, said openingadapted to be closed by a slidable door with latches for holding thedoor to the frame, yeach of said latches having a headed pin adapted tobe inserted through the slot in the frame, the head of the pin beingadapted for insertion in the slot only when the latch is in a positionout of alinement with its normal direction of travel in the slot,

6. In a photographic plate holder, a frame, dark slides, a door attachedto the frame, the opposite frame edges having seats for spring latches,and latches adapted to ll the seats when the door is closed and to rideup over the edges of the seats when the door is opened. V

7. In a plate holder the combination of a frame for holdingphotographically sensitive material, a slidable bottom to the frame, oneof said parts having a groove, and a track arranged on the other of thebefore mentioned parts adapted to coperate` with said groove, the trackcomprising a metal plate which forms a light tight joint between the tworelatively movable parts.

8. In a plate holder the combination with avframe for holding plates orother light sensitive material, a dark .slide insertible into the frameto prevent light from reaching the plate, of a movable bottom door, thesides of the frame eachcarrying a plate upon which the bottom slides,the plate forming a stop to limit the movement of the dark slide.

9. In a plate holder the combination with a frame for holding plates orother light sensitive material, a dark .slide insertible into the frameto prevent light from reaching the plate, of a movable bottom door, astop for the dark slide comprising a plate which also forms a lightbaffle to prevent light from leaking between the frame and the bottomdoor.

10. In a plate holder the combination with a frame for holding plates,of a dark slide insertible into the frame to prevent light from reachingthe plates, metal plates carried by the frame, a movable bottom door forthe frame, the door adapted to slide on and be guided by the metalplates, the metal plates forming stops for the dark slide and the metalplates providing a light seal so that light cannot enter between theadjacent parte of the frame and the door.

ll. In a plate holder for photographic plates, the combination of aframe with a door, the door movable to an open or closed position withrespect to the frame, springs for moving the door in one direction, thedoor being substantially U-shaped in cross section, the springs beingseated in between the sides of the U-shaped door.

l2. In a plate holder for photographic plates, the combination with aframe having openings, of dark slides to cover said openings in theframe, metal plates carried by the frame, a bottom door to the framesubstantially U-shaped in cross section,

the sides of the bottom door being grooved to receive the ends of thedark slides, and the ends slotted to receive the metal plates.

Signed at Rochester, New York, this 5th day of September, 1919.

CHARLES E. HUTCHINGS.

